City of Janesville News---April 24, 2008

Weekly Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Thursday, April 24, 2008
Contact: Rebecca Smith, Management Assistant
Phone: 608-755-3104
Fax: 608-755-3196
E-mail: smithr@ci.janesville.wi.us
Website: www.ci.janesville.wi.us

Recreational Kickball Leagues Begin in June
Informational Meeting Planned for April 28
Adult recreational kickball leagues are back by popular demand! On April 28 at 7PM at the Senior Center, 69 S. Water Street, an informational meeting will be held for co-rec, adult kickball leagues. Each team interested in participating in the league should have a team representative at the meeting. League games will begin in early June and will take place on Friday evenings at Dawson Field. The cost per team is $100 and includes up to 20 Janesville resident players. Please note, leagues are unofficiated. The cost for non-resident players is $13 per team member. Team rosters must be finalized and registration fees must be paid by May 16. Individuals interested in playing on a team are welcome to leave their contact information and playing level with Leisure Services. For questions, call 755-3030.

Movie in the Park and Park Clean Up Rescheduled for June
The Movie in the Park event and the Fourth Ward Park clean up, planned for May 2 and 3, have been rescheduled for June 13 and 14. More details will be provided as the events draw near. For questions, please contact Kelly Lee at 755-3052.

Historic Preservation Expo and Seminar Planned for May 3
On May 3, the City of Janesville Historic Commission will sponsor a Historic Preservation Expo and Seminar for community members interested in learning more about how to appropriately rehabilitate historic buildings or how to research their buildings. This free event will take place from 9AM – 1PM at Olde Towne Mall (20 South Main Street) in Janesville.

During this expo, attendees will have the opportunity to listen to various seminars, visit exhibitor booths and have historic preservation questions answered. Refreshments will be available. The seminar schedule for the day is as follows:

8:30 Registration and coffee

9:00 Janesville Historic Commission presents “Welcome and who we are”

10:00 Jim Sewell of the State Historical Society presents "10 Great Ways to Mess up your Historic Building"

11:00 Cliff Wakerfield and Wes Noble present “Your Energy Efficient Historic Home”

12:00 Joe DeRose of the State Historical Society presents “How to Research Your Historic Home”

Exhibitors at the expo include the Janesville Historic Commission, Downtown Development Alliance, Rock County Historical Society, Marling Lumber Company, Al Byers Heating and Cooling, Beneficial Insulation Solutions, Noble Home Performance, Wisconsin Historical Society and the Janesville Design and Development Center.

Attendees may come and go as they wish and no pre-registration is required. For questions, please contact Judy Adler at 755-3107. Please find attached a copy of the flyer.

5th Annual Family Team Treasure Hunt Scheduled for May 3
On May 3 at Traxler Park from 3-6PM, Leisure Services will sponsor the 5th Annual Family Team Treasure Hunt. Teams will receive clues that will direct them around Janesville. At each spot, teams will complete fun and challenging activities to earn clues and points. This is a great event designed for the entire family! Age is not an issue; everyone involved will enjoy this crazy, competitive and fun event!

Teams may include up to five family members and must include at least one child. There may be no more than two adults on each team and teams must provide their own transportation. Prizes will be awarded for the best dressed team and the most points earned. Refreshments will be waiting for teams as they arrive at the final site! The treasure chest for the winning team will include a certificate for a one-night stay at the Kalahari Resort, a Papa John’s pizza coupon and season passes for the Ice Skating Center and Rockport Pool.

The cost for this event is $20 per team. The registration deadline is April 30. To register, visit Leisure Services (18 N. Jackson Street). For questions, please contact Shelley Hansel at 755-3030.
Look West and 4th Ward Neighborhood Plan Visioning Workshop Planned for May 7
On May 7, the City of Janesville and the Neighborhood Leadership Team will conduct a visioning session to discuss the vision and critical issues for the Look West and 4th Ward neighborhoods. This session will take place at 6:30PM at Wilson School (465 Rockport Road).

The City of Janesville recently launched a planning process to guide future improvements and redevelopment in the Look West and 4th Ward neighborhoods. In order to gather input and guidance from neighborhood residents, the City will host a public visioning workshop. During this session a variety of topics will be discussed, including crime & safety, traffic problems, landlord/tenant relations, housing conditions, parks & recreation programs and historic preservation.

All neighborhood residents are encouraged to attend because this will be an opportunity to provide the City and its planning consultants with ideas and concerns about issues and the future of the neighborhoods. The workshop will involve a series of thought-provoking, interactive exercises where residents will work with each other to create ideas and provide input that will define the direction of the plan and articulate the community’s goals for these historic neighborhoods.

For questions or to provide comments before the meeting, please contact Development Specialist Kelly Lee at 755-3052.

Spring Yard Waste Collection May 5-9
The City will collect grass, leaves, and garden debris placed in containers or bags and bundled brush on the same day as your regular trash pick-up the week of May 5-9. Please place your yard waste a few feet apart from your regular trash. Items should be placed at the curb no later than 7AM on your scheduled collection day.

Yard waste containers or bags and bundled brush should be no heavier than 50 pounds and no longer than four feet in length and twelve inches in diameter. Using biodegradable paper bags or reusable containers such as plastic trash cans is recommended. Plastic bags can be used but please leave them untied at the curb.

City code prohibits the burning of trash, garden debris and other yard wastes within the city limits. For more information contact City Services at 755-3110.

Child Safety Seat Inspection Event Planned for May 8
The Janesville Fire Department will hold a car seat inspection event on May 8. This program will take place at Fire Station #5 (1414 Newport Avenue) from 2-6PM.

Seven other inspection events have also been planned for 2008:
• June 12, 8AM-Noon
• July 9, 2-6PM
• August 13, 8-Noon
• September 10, 2-6PM
• October 23, 8-Noon
• November 12, 2-6PM
• December 10, 8-Noon

The purpose of this program is to assist parents in protecting the lives of Janesville’s youngest residents by providing certified child safety seat technicians who will inspect, instruct and correct improperly installed child safety seats. During the event, several technicians from the Janesville Fire and Police Departments will be available to inspect child safety seats. Each inspection takes approximately 30 minutes and is free of charge; however, donations are accepted. The donations will be used to fund the operating costs of the inspection program. The Fire Department also has safety seats available. If a safety seat is found to be unsafe during an inspection, parents may choose to conveniently obtain a new safety seat from the Fire Department. Please contact Firefighter/Paramedic Jamie Kessenich at Fire Station #5 at 752-5815 if you have questions or to schedule an appointment.

Make My Mom & Me Over Scheduled for May 10
Leisure Services and the Academy of Cosmetology will hold “Make My Mom & Me Over” on Saturday, May 10 from 1-3PM and 3:30-5:30PM at the Academy of Cosmetology (2310 W. Court St.). Stylists from the Academy will provide participants with a cool “up-do” hairstyle and a relaxing manicure. Games will be played for prizes and plenty of snacks will be on hand. This fun “girls only” event is open to pairs of adults and children (ages 5-12). The cost is $40 per pair. The 1-3PM session is full, openings are still available for the 3:30-5:30PM session. For questions or to register, please contact Leisure Services at 755-3030.

Former Hardee’s on Court Street Will Be Demolished
The Community Development Department recently issued conditional approval for building plans that will allow for the demolition and redevelopment of the vacant Hardees’s restaurant, located at 1930 West Court Street in Janesville. A new auto parts store will then be built on the property.

City staff has been working with representatives from O’Reilly Automotive for approximately four months on plans for the redevelopment of the 31,500 square foot (.72 acre) site located at the northeast corner of the intersection at Court and Arch Streets.

The redevelopment of the site will include demolition of the existing building, removal of all existing pavement and construction of a new 7,800 square feet building. The building will be constructed of brick and block material with a portion of the storefront being glass and stucco materials.

The specific construction timeline will be determined shortly as the contractor has not requested the final building and demolition permits. Staff anticipates the permits will be issued in the near future. For questions, contact Gale Price, Manager of Building and Development Services, at 755-3097.

Upcoming Events at the Janesville Senior Center
A variety of activities and events will be taking place at the Janesville Senior Center (69 S. Water Street) in the upcoming weeks. For questions or to register, please call the Senior Center at 755-3040.

A trip is planned on June 18 to The White Pines Dinner Theatre to see the musical comedy “Double or Nothing.” Four singer-comedians mix it up with musical duets and classic comedy duos. The show features skits and routines made famous by teams. The cost is $48 per person and includes travel, a buffet lunch and the show. Payment and registration are due by May 14.

Beginning and intermediate bridge lessons will be offered by Ray Benton beginning on Friday, May 2 from 10AM-Noon and will continue for a minimum of 6 sessions. The course will involve viewing video tapes by respected bridge educator Audrey Grant. This course is an excellent refresher for people who have been playing bridge for some time. Participants will need a spiral notebook and pencils. There is no charge for instruction, but registration is required prior to the event.

The Mill Pond Pantry will provide lunch on Mondays, Wednesdays & Thursdays from 11AM-12:30PM. The food will be healthy, tasty, and prepared right at the Senior Center kitchen. The menu is available at the reception desk and will include soups, salads, wraps, fruits, breads, and cookies. You can purchase a complete lunch for $4.50 or individual items separately at reasonable prices. Reservations are not necessary.

“The Blue Velvet Dinner and Dance Party” featuring the music of the Blue Velvet Big Band will take place on May 20 with a meal at 5PM and the music beginning at 6PM. Adults of any age are welcome to attend and enjoy dancing or listening to this very talented group. The cost of the event is $6 per person and includes the meal. Registration is required and is due by May 16.

The AARP Driver Safety Program will be offered on May 19 and May 20 from 8:30AM – 12:30PM. This program helps mature drivers age 50+ improve their skills and prevent traffic accidents. This 8 hour refresher course is taught in two 4 hour time blocks over a 2 day period. The cost of the class is $10 per person and is due the first day of the class. Enrollment is limited to 20 people and registration is required prior to the class.

Anyone interested in playing Canasta is urged to come join the fun at noon every Wednesday at the Senior Center. There is no cost or registration required for this event. Instruction is available on request.

Photo Opportunities Available
There are several City of Janesville events that would make excellent photo opportunities and story ideas. Please mark your calendar for these upcoming events and look for more information in future press releases.


Date Event Time & Location Contact
April 29 S.A.F.E. Training 5:30-7:30PM, Mercy Center at Mercy Hospital (1000 Mineral Point) Sergeant Donohoue, 755-3133.